IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.495. Dedication of a statue of Demeter and a shrine

Description: Low base of white marble incomplete at both sides and damaged along all edges (w: 1.09 x h: 0.23 x d: 0.43).
Text: Inscribed on one face which is badly worn.
Letters: First-second century: Hadrianic or early Antonine, rather lightly and carelessly cut, with stops for abbreviations and after some words. Line 1, 0.03; line 2, 0.025; lines 3-4, 0.02.

Date: First to second century

Findspot: Cyrene: Wadi Bel Ghadir: Found in 1916, near the east spring and under the ‘torette cadente’ (of the Acropolis so Oliverio).
Original location: Unknown.
Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum.

Interpretive

[Κλ(αυδία) Βε]νόστα Κλ(αυδίου) ((stop)) Καρ̣τ̣ι̣σ̣[θ]έ̣νο[υ]ς ( vac. 3)
[ ( vac. 1)] ( vac. 3) Μελίορος ((stop)) θυγάτηρ ((stop)) ( vac. 3)
[( vac. 1) τ]ὰν μεγάλαν Δάματραν ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων καὶ τὸν
( vac. 12) ναὸν ( vac. 12)

Diplomatic

[.....]ΝΟΣΤΑΚΛ ΚΑ....[.].ΝΟ[.]Σ      
[.]      ΜΕΛΙΟΡΟΣ ΘΥΓΑΤΗΡ       
[..]ΑΝΜΕΓΑΛΑΝΔΑΜΑΤΡΑΝΕΚΤΩΝΙΔΙΩΝΚΑΙΤΟΝ
                        ΝΑΟΝ                        

Italian translation

Translation source: Oliverio, DAI, 1933-1936

Claudia Venosta, di Claudio Cartistene Migliore figlia, la (statua della) grande Demetra, a proprie spese e il tempio (consacrò).

English translation

Translation source: Reynolds, 2012

Claudia Venusta, daughter of Claudius Kartisthenes Melior, (gave) the great Demeter from her own funds, and the temple.

English translation

Translation by: Charlotte Roueché

Kl(audia) Benosta (i.e. Cl(audia) Venusta), daughter of Kl(audios) (i.e. Cl(audius)) Kartisthenes Melior, (gave) the great Demeter from her own funds, and the temple.

Commentary

Claudia Venusta and her father also figure in C.496, C.456, C.497 and C.498 which record other dedications that she made, almost certainly in this Sanctuary. See further on C.456; but note that for the title of Demeter Venusta retained the Cyrenaican dialect forms.

line 3 for μεγάλη as an epithet of Demeter, see Br. Müller, ΜΕΓΑΣ ΘΕΟΣ (Halle, 1913) f., and for the epithet in general, commentary on C.64. In Callimachus, Hymn to Demeter, 121,ὣς ἁμὶν μεγάλα θεός (at Perseus), it is not used as a cult title. The unusual use of the accusative Δαμάτραν is noteworthy, cf. Epigr. ap. Paus. I.37.2

Bibliography: Oliverio, DAI, 1933-1936, 72 (64), pl. XIX, fig. 27, whence SEG 9.164, PHI 324015; Reynolds, 2012, B.3.
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

None available (2020).